History Characters / TheGodfather

* TheOtherDarrin: Sofia Coppola got to play Mary after Winona Ryder dropped out.

* KavorkaMan: Nowhere near as {{Badass}} as Sonny, and definitely not as [[TheChessmaster smart]] as Michael, but Moe Green complains that he's "banging cocktail waitresses, two at a time".

* MotiveDecay: It's become less about the welfare of his family and more about the welfare of the family business; he increasingly treats his wife, brother and children like possessions, and egotistically assumes that he and only he knows what is best for any of them- and that they can be pushed aside or even killed if they deviate too far from his script.

The youngest of Michael's children. Played by Sofia Coppola, in a ''very'' controversial cast decision.

* TheOtherDarrin (Sofia Coppola got to play Mary after Winona Ryder was discarded)

* NecessarilyEvil: Tries to justify himself as this in the first movie; gradually [[MotiveDecay stops doing that]] over the course of the second, and desperately tries to reform and do good by the time of the third, but [[MemeticMutation just as he thought he was out, they pulled him back in.]]

* TheUnfettered: In the first film, [[spoiler: he kills off the other heads of the senior Mafia families in New York]], in the second film [[spoiler: he kills his brother]] and in the third film [[spoiler: some of the senior members of the Roman Catholic Church are killed, though in that case said members were ''very'' corrupt and probably deserved it as much or more than the other two examples.]]

* CainAndAbel - with Fredo
* LonelyAtTheTop

* TheUnfettered: In the first film, [[spoiler: he kills off the other heads of the senior Mafia families in New York]], in the second film [[spoiler: he kills his brother]] and in the third film [[spoiler: some of the senior members of the Roman Catholic Church are killed.]]

* BruiserWithASoftCenter - Sonny is a violent murderer who is nevertheless a warm, loving (if unfaithful) husband and father who has a kind and compassionate heart, as shown by his adoption of the orphaned Tom Hagen as a brother and his ultimate refusal to beat a helpless Carlo (who beat his sister) to death. The adoption of Tom (who is Irish) is significant, as it shows that unlike other Sicillian Mafioso, Sonny is not a hateful racist. Although he does use racist comments against blacks, he still does business with them.

* LawfulEvil

* TheScrappy: Sofia Coppola's performance as Mary in the third film is hated by nearly all. Compounding the issue is the apparent nepotism of her casting. [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap She fared MUCH better as a film director]].
** [[{{Irony}} Nepotism in a show about the Mafia?]]

* LawfulEvil

* MagnificentBastard

* NeutralEvil

* AlasPoorVillain: Even though he probably deserves every last bit, it's hard not to feel sorry for the guy.

* BruiserWithASoftCenter - Sonny is a violent murderer who is nevertheless a warm, loving (if unfaithful) husband and father who has a kind and compassionate heart, as shown by his adoption of the orphaned Tom Hagen as a brother and his ultimate refusal to beat a helpless Carlo (who beat his sister) to death. The adoption of Tom (who is Irish) is significant, as it shows that unlike other Sicillian Mafioso, Sonny is not a hateful racist. Although he does use racist comments against blacks, he still does buisness with them

* NobleDemon - Considering how secular and xenophobically racist the Sicillian Mafia is, Vito's acceptance of Tom (who is ''Irish'') as a son, even if its not in name, is an exceptionally magnaminous gesture of kindness.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Supposedly, WinonaRyder was cast as Mary but she opted instead to film ''Mermaids''. Rebecca Schaeffer had an audition for the part of Mary scheduled for the day she was murdered.

The middle child of the family. He is the stupid one. "Fredo" has now become the shorthand for "weak link". Played by John Cazale.

The middle child of the family. He is the stupid one. "Fredo" has now become the shorthand for "weak link" of a family in popular culture. Played by John Cazale.

The middle child of the family. He is the stupid one. "Fredo" has now become the shorthand for "weak link" of a family. Played by John Cazale.

The middle child of the family. He is the stupid one. If there was a trope for "weak link of the family" it would be called "The Fredo" Played by John Cazale.

The middle child of the family. He is the stupid one. Played by John Cazale.

* WifeBasherBasher - TAKE THAT CARLOS!!

The middle child of the family. He is the stupid one. Played by James Cazale.

The youngest child of the family. He doesn't want to join the family business. When Sollozzo and McCluskey makes another attempt on his father's life, he is forced to join the family business and kills them. He becomes the new Don at the end of the movie. By the second movie, Michael becomes a full-fledged ruthless Don. In the third movie, he strives to stay legitimate, but his past finally catches up.[[spoiler: He ultimately fails, with tragic consequences]]. Played by AlPacino in all three films.

* BruiserWithASoftCenter - Sonny is a violent murderer who is nevertheless a warm, loving (if unfaithful) husband and father who is kind and compassionate, as shown by his adoption of the orphaned Tom Hagen as a brother and his ultimate refusal to beat a helpless Carlo (who beat his sister) to death. The adoption of Tom (who is Irish) is significant, as it shows that unlike other Sicillian Mafioso, Sonny is not a hateful racist. Although he does use racist comments against blacks, he still does buisness with them

* BruiserWithASoftCenter - Sonny is a violent murderer who is nevertheless a warm, loving (if unfaithful) husband and father who is kind and compassionate, as shown by his adoption of the orphaned Tom Hagen as a brother and his ultimate refusal to beat a helpless Carlo (who beat his sister) to death. The adoption of Tom (who is Irish) is significant, as it shows that unlike other Sicillian Mafioso, Sonny is not a hateful racist.